Decorative hollow doors



Oct. 8, 1968 R. G. MILLER DECORATIVE HOLLOW DO'ORSY Filed Oct. 19, 1964 //V1/E/YTOR lea 6.101152 States Patent ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE YA decorative fixture adapted for disposition within an aperture in al hollo w panel to provide surface ornamentation and to give the. hollow panel the appearance and feel of a solid panel. The'fixture comprises a pair of marginally flanged elements adapted to extend into the panel aperture, said elements being of dimensions less than half the thicknesspf, thejpanel to,,which ,said elements are to be attached, .wheireby the innermost surfaces of lthe elements arein spac e d apart relation whenthe fixture is clamped toa panel, andlclampi'ng'imeans spaced from the flanged elements and positioned within the area defined by the aperture for maintaining said flange portions in clamped engagementwith surfaces of said panel marginally of the aperture.

This invention "relates to improvements in partitions such as'doors and the like; a

"A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved low cost'hollow partition such as an entrance, cabinet,"or other'door,"or thetlike, having the appearance and feel of a m ofecostly s'olid partition or door. Another object is to provide improved hollow partitions such" "as: doors, having decorative carving-like panels recessed within th'e'fdoor structure in a manner'to present, when both the panels and theouter surfaces of the door are given a unitary coating or finish, an overall appearance o'fintagho carving from solid'material. Another object is to provide an improved internally weighted hollow door presenting the appearance and feel, during hingingpof a relatively heavy solid door. A st ill further'objecfiis to provide a hollow door with decorative ornamentation of metal or other materials on dpposite 'surfaces" of the door, with the ornamentation maintained clamped in back-to-back relation for the dual purpose of presenting an elegant appearance while adding weight to the door structure.

Another object is to provide a hollow door of plywood, the outer surfaces of "which have "applied thereto a relatively heavy materiahto provide both the appearance and feel of a heavy door fabricated from a solid material such as'wood or metal.

Further objects and advantages will'become apparent to persons skilled in the art, "upon'exarnination of specification, as will various modifications and adaptations within the scope of the invention-as-defin'ed in the appended claimsl r r a In the drawings, in which like parts are identified by the same-reference numerals:

FIG. leis a perspective .view of a hollow door incorporating the concepts herein taught. j :FIG. 2 is an enlargedfra'gmentary vertical section of the door of FIG. 1 taken along lines 2-2.

FIG. 3 illustrates. an otherwise conventional hollow door with portions of the structure broken away to show internal weighting.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary portion of the door of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view, with parts broken away, of a door divided into quadrants by frame members, with four internally mounted weight elements attached to the frame.

vertical section of a ice.v

, Referring to FIG. 1, a hollow door 10, which may be constructed in a conventional manner, has mounted thereon one or more decorative attachments 12, recessed insuitable apertures 14, FIG. 2, and preferably mounted back-to-back in registered relation and maintained clamped against opposite sides ofdoor 10 as by stud bolts 16 extending inwardly from one or both sides of the door. The heads of bolts 16 may be provided with decorative portions,-if desired, to blend with the design of the decorative attachments 12. As shown, a conventional bolt head is employed to form terminal portions of the simple decorative design shown.

Attachments 12 are preferably. but not necessarily of metal. They may be aluminum castings, stampings or otherwise formed of metal, plastic, or other materials. However, .since the attachments are the sole means of adding weight in some modifications of the invention, as well as to improve the appearance of the door, metal or other heavy material may be preferred.

The attachments may vary widely in design and configuration. They may be fabricated to resemble carvings, with marginal portions in the form of shallow flanges rising gradually from the door surfaces to the apertured areas and then sweeping inwardly of the door chamber to avoid the abrupt marginal shoulders of FIG. 2. The configuration of the carvings or attachments may take many forms or designs to blend into the door surface and present the illusion, when matched in color and texture with the door surfaces, of having been carved out of a solid door panel.

While the hollow door of FIGS. 1 and 2 represents a preferred embodiment of the invention with the weight of the ornamental attachments equally divided between the relatively light weight sidewall panels, it may be desirable in some instances to mount the attachments on only one wall of a hollow partition such as a door. In that event satisfactory Weight distribution may be elfected between the spaced partition panels by providing apertures in one wall panel only, and internally mounting an attachment device such as a plate to the opposite panel in registry with said apertures. Referring to FIG. 2, the left hand panel and attachment would remain unaltered, but the right hand panel would be unapertured and the mating fixtures shown would be replaced by a plate or other non-decorative fixture suitably fixed to the interior surface of the unapertured right hand panel to receive clamp bolt 16, thereby to maintain the exposeddecorative and non-exposed non-decorative fixtures in clamped engagement. The resulting assembly is thus supported by both wall panels of the hollow structure. The nondecorative mounting fixture may be a plate of metal or plastic material, or alternately a relatively thick spacer of wood or other suitable material, which may, if desired, close the gap shown between the paired identical fixtures, FIG. 2.

Hollow doors are currently in wide use in both residential and commercial buildings. Technique have been developed to a high degree by door manufacturers, making it difficult to detect by sight alone a hollow from a solid door. A hollow door may, however, be identified by the rap test. When in use, the comparatively light weight of a hollow door results in a quite different feel. from that of a solid door, hence the two types are seldom confused 1n use.

The total added weight of the decorative attachments of metal or other material as above described is preferably such as to match the weight of a solid door with a result ant like feel during use. The same result as to weight only may also be obtained by internally or externally weighting a conventional hollow door, as hereinafter described.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a hollow door 20 provided internally with a metallic or other webbing 22 such as heavy screening to which low-cost weights'2 4 "are Weights 24 may be, for example, a low cost material, such as an inexpensive metal attached to webbing 22, or a silicate or other low cost material or otherwise secured to the webbing in quantities sufiicient to provide the desired weight. Webbing 22 may be suspended between the solid wood portions 26 of door 20, FIG. 4, to which the webbing may be suitably attached, as by screws 28 or the like. Many other low-cost methods of internally weighting hollow doors to give the feel of solid doors will become apparent to persons skilled in the art, without departing from the concepts herein taught, selected examples of which are shown in the drawings.

Most hollow doors are manufactured with smooth ex posed surfaces, whereas many solid doors are rough finished to accentuate the grain pattern while presenting a sturdy look. The present invention is directed in part to duplication of the overall appearance of a roughly hewn oak door, for example, by use of a heavily grained or rough outer ply of the door surfacing plywood. A rough surface finish which may be superficially applied resin or the like, embossed to simulate rough grain, or an outer ply having a tool roughened surface is shown at 30, FIG. 4. It is known to simulate such surfaces either by mechanical treatment of the wood forming the outer ply or by a superficially applied coating of plastic resin, or fibrous or other material onto which the desired surface pattern may be roll embossed or otherwise applied. Such treatment of the exposed surfaces of hollow doors greatly improves appearance, with the resulting product closely resembling the more expensive solid doors. Alternately, a heavy surface treatment of three dimensional contour may, if desired, be selected to add enough weight to produce the desired feel during use. Hollow doors with internal weighting may also produce the desired feel while permitting the use of a light weight surface treatment to obtain the desired appearance.

Doors or the like which include the decorative attachments may be given an overall coating or finish applied over both the exposed door surfaces and the attachments to produce the appearance of a heavy solid wood door, or alternately, a carved all-metal door. Suitable finishes are currently available from major paint manufacturers. For example, the overall application of abronze finish to both the attachments and exposed door surfaces results in a finished door which is ditficult to distinguish from one carved out of a single slab of bronze. Grain pattern may be applied in the form of lacquer, varnish stains or the like over both the carvings or attachments and the other exposed door surfaces to give the appearance of a door carved out of solid hardwood or the like. When plywood having a grained or contoured outer surface is used, the resulting appearance is particularly effective.

The present invention contemplates volume manufacture and sale of decorative partitions such as elegant doors at prices sufficiently low to establish a mass market. It is contemplated that one or more major plywood manufacturers will supply specially surfaced plywood to major door manufacturers for application to otherwise conventional hollow doors. Present door fabrication techniques need not be modified nor production equipment altered except to the extent of either adding internal weights, decorative attachments, or both if that is desirable in some instances. Plywood with a heavy external surface is within the skill of plywood manufacturers, for sale as an end product to door manufacturers. The potential market for the doors and partitions above described appears currently to be substantial in volume.

A definite needs exists for relatively inexpensive hollow doors, both weighted and unweighted, which resemble attached. I in appearance 'solid"doois,

and for suchdoo'rs, bothwith and without the decorative attachments or carvings.

Iclaim: 1. A decorative fixture adapted for disposition within a panel aperture to provide surface ornamentation, said fixture comprising a pair of rnarginally flanged elements having major portions insfe'rtable within said panel aperture from opposite sides, of the panel in". juxtaposed relation, said portions of saidelements.beingof dimensions less than half the thickness of-a panel to which said elements are adapted to be attached, whereby the innermost surfaces of said elements are in spaced apart relation when said fixture is clamped to a panel, said marginally flanged portions being positioned to engage exposed panel portions marginally of said aperture, and means spaced from said flanged elements and positioned within the area defined by the aperture for maintaining said flange portions in clamped'engagement with surfaces of said panel marginally of said aperture. 2. The device of claim 1, wherein said panel comprises a portion of a door structure. v

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said clamp means includes an elongate member extending'transversely 'of the juxtaposed assembly and clampingly engaging said elements to maintain bias against an intervening panel. 4. The fixture of claim 1 wherein one of said elements is of metal. 5. The 'fixture of claim 1 wherein said elements are of non-metallic materials.

6. The combination with an apertured panel member, of a fixture adapted for substantial disposition within the panel aperture in clamped engagement withsaid .panel, said fixture comprising a pair of elements provided with marginal flanges having major portionsinserted within said panel aperture from opposite sides of the panel mem: her, said portions of said elements. being of dimensions less than half the thickness of the panel member, whereby the innermost surfaces of said elements are in spaced apart relation, and clamp means maintaining said ,elernents in juxtaposed relation with said marginal flanges in clamped engagement with panel surfaces marginally of said opening, said clamp means spaced from said marginal flanges and positioned within the area of said panel opening. l f,

7. The panel and fixture of claim 6 wherein the ex posed surface on one ofsaid elements is contoured to resemble carvings. l p 8. The device of claim 6 wherein said fixture is of metallic material. p 9. The device of ,claim 6 wherein said fixture is of plastic-like material.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner. PHILLIP c. KANNAN, AssistantElamtagff 1; 

